Moderator Candidate Central

The Slate to Date

Denise Anderson & Jan Edmiston (Co-Moderators)At National Capital Presbytery’s February 13th stated meeting, Teaching Elder T. Denise Anderson was unanimously endorsed to stand as Co-Moderator of the 222nd General Assembly (2016) of the PC(USA) with the Reverend Dr. Jan Edmiston. Anderson serves as pastor of Unity Presbyterian Church in Temple Hills, Maryland. She is a minister member of National Capital Presbytery, which was also her presbytery of care as an inquirer and candidate. While under care, Anderson served as a pastoral assistant at Taiwanese Presbyterian Church of Washington before being ordained at Unity. She has served National Capital on its committee on representation and now serves on its leadership council. Anderson is also a member of the NEXT Church strategy team and recently preached at its national gathering in Atlanta. She earned degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University and Howard University School of Divinity. Anderson is a contributing writer, whose work has appeared in The Christian Century, The Huffington Post, These Days, Presbyterians Today, and Presbyterian Outlook. She also writes and curates her own blog and contributes to online blogs such as the clergywomen writers’ collective and RevGalBlogPals, a nonprofit supporting women in ministry on whose board she serves. Denise and her husband, Carter, have one daughter.

Teaching Elder Jan Edmiston announced her stand for Co-Moderator of the 222nd General Assembly (2016) on November 21, 2015, which is also the day that the Presbytery of Chicago unanimously endorsed her stand at its stated meeting. She is a native North Carolinian where she grew up in University Presbyterian Church in Chapel Hill. Ordained by the Presbytery of Boston in 1984, Edmiston currently serves as associate executive presbyter for ministry at the Presbytery of Chicago. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Andover-Newton Theological Seminary, and Columbia Theological Seminary. Edmiston has served the church as pastor of the Presbyterian United Church in Schaghticoke, New York, and as co-pastor and pastor of Fairlington Presbyterian Church in Alexandria, Virginia. Edmiston was also a commissioner at the 208th General Assembly (1996). She speaks throughout the PC(USA) about 21st century church shifts including for NEXT Church, RevGalBlogPals, and The Church Network. She has blogged at A Church for Starving Artists for more than ten years and has written for The Alban Institute and Homiletics. Edmiston and her husband, Fred Lyon, who is also a PC(USA) pastor in Flossmoor, Illinois, have three young adult children who live on the east coast.

Adan Mairena & David Parker (Co-Moderators)The Presbytery of Philadelphia's Collegiate has approved Teaching Elder Adan A. Mairena's stand for Co-Moderator of the 222nd General Assembly (2016) and will gather to vote for his official endorsement in May 2015. Mairena was born in Honduras but has lived his entire life in the United States. Both Adan’s parents are PCUSA ordained ministers and as a result Adan grew up in Chicago, Texas, and New Mexico. Ordained by the Presbytery of Philadelphia in 2005, Adan currently is a Teaching Elder at the West Kensington Ministry at Norris Square and the Yeadon Presbyterian Church. Adan is a graduate of the University of New Mexico and Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Adan was a Lilly Resident in Ministry at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church before his current call and has served the denomination as Director of the Board for the Board of Pensions, was a contributing writer of a denominational study guide that called for the comprehensive legalization of immigrants and is a member of the General Assembly Urban Ministry Leadership/Organizing Team.Adan was also a Theological Student Advisory Delegate at the 214th General Assembly (2002). Adan partners with grass-root community based organizations, interfaith groups, law enforcement, elected officials and others in Philadelphia as they address the issues that effect the quality of life of its citizens, especially those who are marginal.

Ruling Elder David Parker announced his stand for Moderator of the 222nd General Assembly (2016) on December 17, 2015 via Salem Presbytery Stated Clerk, David Vaughn. The presbytery unanimously endorsed Parker’s stand at its stated meeting on November 7, 2015. Parker is a "cradle" Presbyterian from White Memorial Presbyterian Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. His is currently a practicing attorney and member of First Presbyterian Church in Statesville, North Carolina. He served as Moderator of Salem Presbytery in 2012 and has continued to work with the presbytery, moderating Salem’s Executive Council. Elected by Salem Presbytery as commissioner of the 222nd General Assembly (2016), Parker was also a commissioner at the 219th General Assembly (2010). Parker has served his community as chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, chair of the Mitchell Community College Board, and as a member of the Iredell County school board. He and his wife have three children and one grandchild.

Need to Knows

Are you discerning a call to stand as Moderator of the Genera Assembly?These resources will help get you started in the right direction.